Results 7,441-7,460 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 76 together. All primary and post-primary schools have access to psychological assessments for their pupils, either directly through my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychologists or through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) that is administered by NEPS. Schools that do not currently have NEPS...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Government's Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013, announced recently, reaffirms the Government's commitment to developing Ireland as a knowledge-based economy. The strategy aims to deliver world-class people and enterprises with the drive to succeed in a technology-driven future-orientated economy. The achievement of this aim requires the further development of our...

Written Answers — Inquiry into Child Abuse: Inquiry into Child Abuse (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The evidence given by the Secretary General of my Department to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse at the recent Phase III hearings was based on a detailed examination of the files held in my Department in relation to the industrial and reformatory school system. These files were previously provided to the Commission on an informal basis or under discovery direction. The examination...

Written Answers — Voluntary Contributions: Voluntary Contributions (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The position in relation to primary education is that the State is obliged under Article 42.4 of the Constitution to provide for free primary education. Accordingly, there can be no levy on parents of children attending a recognised primary school, nor can any child be refused admission, because of the non-payment of a voluntary contribution by his or her parents. At post-primary level, it is...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 58 together. As I announced recently the State's thirty three Vocational Education Committees (VECs) are to be given sole responsibility for the administration of third level student maintenance grants for all new applicants with effect from the 2007/08 academic year. The change in the administration arrangements are part of my overall plans to...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in primary school staffing in recent years. Next September there will no less than 4000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Not only is the average class size in our primary schools down to 24, but there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with special...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 100 together. My Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve PE facilities for all pupils attending primary schools. The provision of such facilities is an integral part of the design process for new school buildings or where an existing school building is...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 127 and 759 together. The new school to which the Deputy refers was provided to meet the growing need for extra primary provision in Naas. It was not provided to replace temporary accommodation in existing schools or to reduce their capacities. This matter is being dealt with separately. Therefore the question of transferring pupils to the newly built...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works which acts on behalf of my Department in relation to site acquisitions generally has been requested to source a site for the school in question. The OPW advertised in the National and local press regarding suitable available sites. A number of responses were received and OPW intend carrying out site inspections shortly. When a...

Written Answers — School Evaluations: School Evaluations (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the regulations that I laid before the House on 30 January last, all reports arising from the general inspection programme for schools will be published where the inspection commenced on or after 6 February 2006. Where reports are eligible for publication, a draft report is issued to the principal, chairperson of the board of management and, where relevant, the chief executive officer...

Written Answers — School Evaluations: School Evaluations (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: Under the regulations that I laid before the House on 30 January last, all reports arising from the general inspection programme for schools will be published where the inspection commenced on or after 6 February 2006. Reports arising from a total of 5 Whole School Evaluations conducted in post-primary schools were published on the website of my Department on 22 June 2006. Up-to-date...

Written Answers — Career Guidance Service: Career Guidance Service (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department makes a specific allocation of teaching posts in respect of guidance to schools in the post-primary system. This allocation is based on the pupil enrolment in September of the preceding school year. There has been a significant improvement in the resources provided by my Department to schools for the provision of guidance to students in the past five years. In 2001, 50...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in primary school staffing in recent years. Next September there will no less than 4000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Not only is the average class size in our primary schools down to 24, but there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with special...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The report entitled 'Irish in Primary schools: Long term National Trends in Achievement' by Dr John Harris provides us with useful and detailed information concerning trends in achievement levels across the three categories of schools for the period 1985 to 2002. The main findings are as follows. In relation to All-Irish Schools (Gaelscoileanna), pupil performance relating to the main...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The matter referred to by the Deputy is the subject of an ongoing Garda inquiry. In addition, my Department's internal audit unit is conducting a full investigation into the issue. When the investigation has concluded, I expect to be in a position to comment further.

Written Answers — Psychological Service: Psychological Service (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: I am happy to take this opportunity to clarify for the Deputy the practice of my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) in relation to the assessment of children. In common with other psychological services, NEPS encourages a staged assessment process, whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention, in...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in primary school staffing in recent years. Next September there will no less than 4000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Not only is the average class size in our primary schools down to 24, but there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc. Children with special...

Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: The policy of my Department is to provide for the delivery of a broad and balanced physical education curriculum in our schools and to support this with the provision of appropriate infrastructure. In general, at primary level, many schools have a general purposes room for play and PE facilities. In addition practically all schools have outdoor play areas which are utilised for teaching...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has not issued guidelines to schools in relation to the inclusion of children with special needs in various school activities such as those outlined by the Deputy. It is, however, the case that schools should ensure the maximum possible inclusion of such pupils in school activities.

Written Answers — Postgraduate Education: Postgraduate Education (4 Jul 2006)

Mary Hanafin: On the 1 February 2006 the Tánaiste and I published the report of the Fottrell Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training. In addition the Tánaiste published the report of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Group. These reports represent the most significant review of medical education and training ever undertaken in Ireland and are aimed at responding to the...